What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[andrew34ruby]

   

About 45 miles driving today including some twisty left and right upsy downsy roads.

[Malcolm Parker]

A rather cold run out to Masham in the Ulster rep, foolishly I didn't take a coat with me. Met up with Andrew, Duncan in the BSA 3 wheeler, Adam Foster in the Cambridge special and others.  Some nice cars present including a lovely Singer Le Mans, stunt driver Russ Swifts AC Ace and a rare FIAT 131 Mirafiori rally car.  Also a Mk 1 Cortina hot rod with rear tyres so wide they almost formed a roller.  Nice if you like that sort of thing.  After a coffee Duncan, Adam and myself went for a blast around the Swinton estate stopping at the Druids Temple for a coffee.  First good run out in the Ulster for a year, and as it pulled an indicated 60mph up the long hill out of Masham I decided it would be foolish to think about selling it!

[Ian McGowan]

Probably my least inspiring Drive it Day; I took the chummy as transport of choice the 4 miles or so to get my second Co-Vid inoculation. I saw no other historic vehicles but the security bloke at the inoculation centre got quite excited about the chummy and took a couple of photos of her whilst I was being 'jabbed'. Then, the same 4 miles in reverse order back home again; I thought that the brakes had deteriorated over the 9 month that I hadn't driven her but eventually I concluded that it was I that had forgotten how hard I had to press the brake peddle to obtain any braking worthy of the name!!

[Roger]

My 35 mile run does not match Ruiarihd’s 120 miles but I am still at the lower end of a step learning curve driving an A7. The destination was St Anne’s Head light house, which is now a residential property at the south end of Milford haven. The run was uneventful with my first ever second gear hill which seemed to go on for ever. 

Roger
   

[Ivor Hawkins]

Only some very brief Austin Driving for me. But I did buy it!

What! Another one Hedd?

[JonE]

Continued road testing after fuel starvation problems - cleaned tank, got rid of a U-bend in the rubber line, and replaced one of the unions with something with larger bore. Replaced the inline filter (which was never the problem).

Was scratching head over 'what is too much' for the tightening of all the suspension units. It still seemed ponderous on corners. Realised a bolt was actually missing from the front mounting. Hopeful of immediate improvement next time out.

Likewise, realised that the improvement of adding the breather hose to the valve chest cover will be further improved when I actually remember to block the original 4 holes up.

As this engine is nice and loose, was wondering what the best combination for long journey is (thinking Beaulieu) to keep the engine stress free. Its three bearing, HC head, SWB (and light) and 4 speed 2SYN standard ratios. Will running a 15" 4.00 section tyre be easier on the engine because it won't be overgeared, or should I return to 350x19 for ease of plodding and less fussy handling?

[Robert Leigh]

Personally I suspect that you may find the best compromise is 4.00-17" standard Ruby wheels and tyres but maybe you don't have those.

[Henry Harris]

"I think an evening at The Carpenters?"

   

[Dave Mann]

        I refurbished a mutilated RN petrol tank tap, it had been fitted with two short riveted up plungers and the stand pipe had been cut off and blocked with solder.

[Tony Griffiths]

I refurbished a mutilated RN petrol tank tap, it had been fitted with two short riveted up plungers and the stand pipe had been cut off and blocked with solder.

A lovely job. I've just discovered that, on mine, I've fitted the unit the wrong way round - the double knurled "reserve" plunger has to fit in the engine bay side as swapping them over cuts of most of the flow. When rebuilding mine I had a NOS double-plunger motorcycle type where the stem of the cork compression plate was screwed into the plunger rather than riveted in place; unlike the Austin type, the end was not cut with a screwdriver slot so the compression of the cork could be adjusted. It was not fitted with corks but some sort of plastic material that had to be turned down to fit. I see that you have one of the O-ring sealing kits; I had one but it was just too large. Does yours fit and, if so, where did it come from?